Kowalski and the Unwound Future
by TheMusicBullet
Summary: Romance is in the air. Kowalski sets out to create a new, safer time machine, but what chaos and tragedy will this latest invention bring? The dawn of a new era for the commandos of Central Park Zoo. Probably only needs to be rated K  but I'm cautious.


Hi guys. I've already got this entire story planned out, but I suck at romance. In real life and in writing. Heck, I'm in middle school and I've never dated. I don't know anything about this sort of thing! Could anyone give me some tips? On the writing part, I mean. Thanks. Please enjoy the story! And leave some reviews! XD

**_It was _****_a normal day in the Central Park Zoo, just like any other_****_._** Well, as normal as it can be with four commando penguins living in an underground secret HQ. Nobody knew that something would soon happen to change all of their lives.

"I'VE DONE IT!" came a shout from Kowalski's lab.

"Something to destroy us all, no doubt," Skipper muttered.

"Oh, cheer up, Skipper," said Private. "Marlene can't ignore you forever!"

Unbeknownst to his men, Skipper was madly in love with Marlene. Of course Private had found out a week ago when he had stumbled upon Skipper writing a love poem. Obviously, Skipper had sworn him to secrecy.

Anyway, Skipper had a feeling that Marlene sort of liked him, too. He had always ignored their feeling up until now. He'd been afraid to show it, for fear that his enemies would find out and hold Marlene hostage as a way to get to him, as leverage. But when Private had found out a week ago, he'd reminded Skipper that the threats of Dr. Blowhole and Hans were neutralized, and the Danes were unlikely to ever find out where he was, so there were no major threats. And most of the zoo animals that had ever been a threat were in the Hoboken Zoo, which was pretty much an inescapable prison of horror, including Salvio, Clemson (not a big threat, actually), Wanda ( who had turned out to be a spy), and others. Hans was back there, now, too.

Anyway, Skipper and his men would always have enemies. That would mean he'd never get to be with Marlene. And he had another feeling that if he didn't make a move soon, he might never get a chance. His gut told him that something big would happen soon. Call it a hunch, but his hunches were usually correct.

"Skipper? Are you alright?" Private asked, jerking him out of his reverie.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. But..." Skipper trailed off.

"But what? Have you even talked to her about this yet?" Private demanded. He had sort of become Skipper's love life adviser, being inclined to dealing with affairs of the heart.

"No, no! I just can't do it! What if puts her in danger? Danger is lurking around every dangerous corner in this whole dangerous universe! Remember when Blowhole kidnapped Ringtail? Think about it! What about giant space squids? What about the zombie apocalypse? Motorcycle gangs, the Danes, evil hippies!"

"Skipper," Private said, in his cute British accent, "It's now or never. If the world is as dangerous as you say, you may never get another chance!"

Skipper smiled. He resolved to go that very night.

But that little dramatic moment was interrupted with Kowalski's psychotic laughter, the kind usually only heard from Rico. "IT'S WORKING, IT'S WORKING!"

**_BOOM._**

There was an explosion, and red light flashed out through the lab door's small, dirty, glass window. Skipper and Private just sat, waiting for Kowalski to come out just like he usually did after one of his crazy inventions exploded. But as minutes went by, they began to get worried.

"That's it. We need to get in there to see if he's alright. Come on, Private."

Just then, the entrance behind the stuffed fish opened and Rico ran in, crazed and happily babbling about explosions.

"Calm yourself, soldier! That explosion was big enough to have ki- injured Kowalski seriously!"

Rico's demeanor changed at once. His expression was shocked and solemn as he realized the implications. He produced three gas masks and everyone caught one.

"Good idea, Rico. Ok, let's go. Operation: Rescue Kowalski is a go! Move, men, move!" Rico blew up the door and they ran in, fearing for their old friend's life.

Nothing could prepare them for what they saw.

Kowalski was sprawled out in a corner of the lab, apparently having been thrown backwards by the force of the explosion. He had severe burns and soot all over. And he wasn't moving... At all.

"Kowalski!" Skipper frantically waded through the wreckage and rubble to get to him. "Speak to me, man!"

A faint stirring came from Kowalski's left flipper. Private and Rico cheered. "He's not dead!"

"Don't celebrate yet. We need to get him out of here." They all shared worried glances as they lifted Kowalski up, carried him out, and put him on the table. "Private, go get the spare lab door and turn off the ventilation system leading to the lab. We need to contain the fumes produced in that explosion," Skipper ordered.

And so Private did, all the while worrying about Kowalski. "Will he be alright, Skipper?"

Skipper voice cracked as he contemplated the numerous possibilities, the majority of them being negative scenarios. "I'm not sure, Private. It was a bad explosion and I don't exactly have a medical degree. Let's try and take care of him as best as we can, for now. Kowalski, medical treatment options!" he said, out of pure habit.

Everyone was painfully aware of the silence residing over the HQ, made even more evident by Rico's cricket noises. Skipper silenced him with a fierce glare.

"Sorry," Rico mumbled.

"It's okay, Rico. I thought it was a smashing imitation, myself," Private reassured him.

Rico murmured a quiet thank you.

"Cease your talking, soldiers!" Skipper barked, and they both snapped to attention. "We have a serious situation on our hands! Very serious!"

"If I may, Skipper," Private interjected, "I think it's a bit ironic that the only one of us who knows how to treat Kowalski is, well, Kowalski!"

"Yup," Rico agreed.

Skipper sighed and said, in a defeated tone, "You're right, boys. As much as I hate to admit it, we can't do this on our own. To the zoo infirmary! Rico, stretcher!"

Rico upchucked a stretcher and they carried Kowalski to the infirmary, hoping they'd get there in time.

Skipper patted Kowalski's flipper. "It's alright. You're going to make it. I know it." But inside, his emotions were a raging sea of worry, fear, and hope.

Mostly, fear of what was to come.


End file.
